Universal tool



Patented May 30, 1944 i. AUNIT-ED STATES PATENT `OFFICE'.

g y 2,350,097 i UNIVERSAL Toor.

Quinten E. Conner, San Francisco, Calif.

Application February 13, 1943, Serial No. 475,838

2 Claims.

'This invention relates to a universal tool and hasifor its objects the provision of a tool containing thereinl a monkey wrench, a pipe Wrench, a wire cutter, a nail puller, a screw driver and la series fof `socket wrenches.

Another object of this invention is to provide a universal toolin which the component parts are so designed and tted as to represent a cleancut tool inwhich said parts do not interfere with the use-of any one of them.

Another `object of this invention is to provide a `universal tool the component parts of which may beusediselectively.V

Another object lof .this invention is to provide a simple mechanism for selection of a tool to be used and for the uuse thereof.

Other objects andY advantages will appear as the speciiication i proceeds and the particular features of "the invention will be specically pointed out in the appended claims. i

My invention is illustrated in the `accompanying drawing inwhich: l

Fig. 1- is 'a 'longitudinal cross-section of a tool showing certain parts in elevation;

` Fig. lawis a longitudinalcross-section through aportion of a handle, showing the parts thereo'f ln a different position.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 2-2 of theFig. 1. V Y

Fig; 3 isla cross-'section taken along the line 3--3 of the Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line 4"-4 ofthe Fig. 1. A

Fig. .5 illustrates al modified .form of the universal tool, certain "parts being .shown in section,

and i y Fig. 6 is across-section taken along the line B-B'ofthelFigz i 1 l i i `In detail, my ``universal tool comprisesy anadjustable wrench luhaving. a stationary head 2 and a movable head 3 `adapted to be advanced to or retracted lfrom the stationary head.` The latter is integral with a body 5,cylindrical in shape and having a central bore `(i which is enlargedatthe lower end thereof as shown at 1. The bodyS also.. has two .diametrically opposite longitudinal slots 8 and 9.

The movable head .3 has a cylindrical embossment I2 provided on the lower surface thereof of such diameter as to snugly fit the bore 6 with the freedom of the movement therein. The head 3 has a straight jaw I3 which in cooperation with a corresponding straight jaw I4 of the stationary head 2 forms a monkey wrench, and both jaws jaw i3 is adapted to slide ina `slot 9. The head 3 also has integral vtherewith a toothed or serrated jawlt` which slides in the slot 8 and cooperates with an outwardly bent jawf-ll of the head 2, said jaw having seri-ations or teeth 1li on the surface thereof facing the jaw I6, Thejaws yHi `and ll are intended to oper-ate as a pip wrench.

The head 3 i-s advanced toward the head 2 or retracted therefrom by means of `a threadedshaft 20 which passes through the head 3, the latter being also correspondingly threaded. The shaft 20 extends the whole length of the body 5 and almost through an opening 2| in the stationary head 2 and terminates with a screw driver ti-p 22. The other end of the shaft ill! is integral with a handle generally indicated at 25. The latter is formed with a shoulder 25 at the end which carries said shaft 25. The shoulder 25 is oi slightly smaller diameter than the bore 'l `and is oonned in the latter. A spring 29 is interposed between the top of the .handle 25 and a shoulder 3G which limits the bore l, which spring forces the handle 25 downwardly. But the downward movement of the handle is prevented by a retaining ring 32 screwed on a threaded end 33 vof the body `5 and having an inwardly `bent rim 3E engaging the shoulder 30, thuskeeping the handle 25 and the body portion 5 slidably locked together.

By rotating the handle 25 in relation to the body 5 in the direction indicated by an arrow A in Fig. 2, the movable head 3 is advanced toward the stationary head 2, the jaws i3 and i6 sliding when closed may be used as a hammer. The

in the slots 9 `and 8. correspondingly. The rotation of the handle 25 in the `opposite direction will force the head 3 downwardly until it rests upon the upper rim of the retaining ring 32.

Further rotation of said handle 25 in the same direction will force the same to advance toward the head 3, whereby the shaft 20 will pass through the opening 2l in the head 2 and .advance the screw driver tip 22 beyond said head so that the universal tool can be used as a screw driver. y

The opposite rotation of the handle relative to the body 5 will force the screw driver tip 22 into its former position.

It is also desirable to provide in the upper portion of the head 2 a slot 36 of the form shown best in Fig. 5, which is adapted to engage nail heads and pull nails out.

The slot 36 may be made narrowing to one end so as to accommodate nails of various sizes.

A slot 31 may also be provided on a side ot the body 5, which in cooperation with the Inovable jaw |3 serves as a wire cutter.

The handle 5 is round at its upper end near the shoulder 30 as shown at 4-0, and the rest of it is hollow and of hexagonal cross-section so as to form a socket 4| within which is adapted to slide a socket 42 of a smaller diameter. The latter also slidably carries a socket 43 which in turn carries a socket 44. The size of the sockets is such as to iit a 1, 1/2 and i nuts, or any other size, respectively, and may be used as socket wrenches.

A mechanism is provided to expose any of said sockets for the purpose of applying the same on a nut, said mechanism comprising a screw 55, arranged inside of said handle 5 and having a disk 5| aiiixed on the upper end thereof. The disk 5| has a stub-shaft 53 imbedded in portion 45 of said handle, around which stub-shaft the disk is adapted to be manually rotated. The handle 5 has its sides cut off as shown at 52 in Fig. 6, so as to expose the disk 5| for gripping the same by the ngers of an operator. Two or more re-` taining screWs 54 are provided to hold the disk 5| in place.

The screw 5|) passes through correspondingly threaded bottoms 55, 55 and 5l of the sockets 42, 43 and 44 respectively and has portions 59 and 60 of reduced diameter leaving threaded portions 6|, 52 and 63 respectively. The bottoms 55 and 56 are held opposite the reduced portions 59 and 60 respectively by resilient split retaining rings 65 attached to said bottoms, the ends of which are adapted to ride along the threads of the screw 5B. The rings 65 arev preferably welded to the bottoms as shown at 56. The screw 50 terminates with a cup 61 securely affixed thereon limiting the outward movement of the socket 44.

The operation of the screw'5 is as follows. When the sockets are in the position shown in Fig. 1,' the socket' 44 may be used as a wrench. Rotation of the disk 5| and the screw 50 in the proper direction will force the socket 44 to slide into the socket 43, the latter and the socket 42 being retained in the positions shown in Fig. l by the retaining rings When the socket 44 is within the socket 43, the latter may be used.

Rotation of the disk 5| will bring the bottom 5l of the socket 44 into contact with the ring 65 ainxed to the bottom 55 and further rotation will f orce both sockets 44 and 43 to move toward the disk 5|, because the bottom 5l still rides the threaded portion 63 of the screw 55'. When the bottom 5l will finally leave the threaded portion 63 and rest opposite the reduced portion 50 of said screw it will-be retained there by the retaining spring 55 attached to said bottom 5l. The bottom 55 of the socket 45 will be pushed into engagement with the threaded portion '52. Further rotation of the disk 5| will bring the bottom vof the socket 43 in contact with the ring -65 affixed to the bottom 55. At .this time the `socket 42 will be exposed for use as a wrench.

Further rotation of the disk 5| will force the bottoms 55 and 55 to move in direction to the disk 5| until. the bottom 55 restsopposite the reduced portion 59 of the screw 50 and is retained there by the ring 65, at which time the bottom will engage the threaded portion 6| and will travel to the retracted position as shown in Fig. 1a. At this time the sockets will take positions shown in Fig. la, exposing the socket 4| for use as a wrench.

Rotation of the disk 5| in opposite direction will reverse the process and will advance the sockets 42, 43 and 44 oneat .a time. By this arrangement any needed socket 'may be brought in a position ready for service.

Fig. 5 shows a modied form of the tool in which a disk 5| corresponding to the disk 5| of .the Fig. 1 is adapted to serve to advance and retract sockets, as has been above described, and also to advance and retract the movable head 3. For that purpose the shaft 20 is formed with a shank 80, which is rotatably supported in a body 5, and which terminates with a square portion 8| adapted to enter a square opening in said disk 5| and by means of which said shaft is rotated. l In order toV retain the shaft in downward position, a disk 83 is aiiixed to the shaft 25', and the spring 29' is interposed between said disk and the shoulder 30. The operation of the parts is exactly the same as that of the tool shown in Fig. 1.

The screw 50 is retained by a disk 85'axed thereto which disk has a circular groove 86 on the periphery thereof in Whi-ch two or more retaining screws 8`| are adapted to enter. In this way the disk can rotatewith the shaft 20 and prevent the longitudinal displacement of the latter. movable heads with their jaws provide leverage necessary to unscrew or tighten up a nut.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:`

1. A tool comprising -an adjustable wrench having a handle in the form of a socket, a plurality of sockets of diminishingl diameters arranged within said socket and slidable one with` in another; means for advancing or retiring said sockets within one another so as to expose any L one lof them for. service, said means including a screw extending within said sockets, said sockets having threaded bottoms through which said. screw passes; said screw having portionsthereof of a reduced diameter; means for rotating the screw; and means for retaining said sockets against the portions of the screw of the reduced diameter. y v i 2. A tool comprising an adjustable Wrench having a handle consisting of a plurality vof sockets of diminishing `diameters slidably arranged one within another; a screw arranged within said handle adapted to affect the relative movement between said sockets by rotation thereof; saidysockets. having threaded bottoms adapted to ride on said screw; said screw having portions thereof Vof reduced diameter so as to stop the movement of said sockets along'said screw; and means for. retaining said sockets When'their movement is stopped, soasto exposeA r any one oi said sockets for use as a wrench.

`QUINTEN E. -CONNE R.

It will be noted that the stationary and 

